The Fall
by Splushie Balls
Summary: Bella's descent into darkness


**I'm so sorry about the wait but after much consideration, I've decided not to do the story I was planning to do. Every time I try to write, I end up deleting it. There is one idea that has been playing wildly in my head, more so than the other after I figured that you guys would prefer that I at least try to put something up instead of nothing.**

**Aro/Bella**

**Rated M**

**I don't own Twilight.**

**Bella's POV**

I woke to the sound of thunder raging in the darkness. I woke, afraid, my heart pounding, my nerves shaken, and the shadows in my room closing in. I sat up; reaching for my lamp and relief filled me when light spilled into the darkness. As my eyes adjusted to the light, they scanned my room, taking in the familiarity of the clothes strewn over my desk chair, the books piled high (from the floor, reaching to the top of my desk), and the black nun outfit that hung on my closet door. Yes, a nun outfit, the outfit that told the world that I had committed myself to loving God and humanity, to help those in need, and spread the word of God's goodness and forgiveness. It was an easy decision for me to make because I had grown up in an orphanage own by the church. The nuns that looked after the orphanage were kind and treated us like their own children. They were pure and people trusted them, they carried around this light around them. I remembered feeling warmth…feeling safe. With the decision made at the young age of twelve, I went to the church every day and tutored under Sister Tanya, a beautiful Russian, escaping poverty and war that plagued her home and killed her family. She became my older sister and helped me achieved my dream.

I thought of her sadly, remembering that she was no longer here. That she was up in that dark castle that loomed over the village like a shadow. He had taken her…taken her away from God and placed her in the life of sin, placed her where she could see real evil and not do anything about it. The Volturi family had taken over the small village of Forks and while the village and its people was flourishing and well protected, the Volturi family asked for nothing but the most beautiful of women to make up the King's harem. I shivered, thinking of the awful things that could be happening at this very moment in that castle…happening to her, what she is witnessing…

I don't know when I had fallen asleep but I woke with a headache. The thoughts from the night before played their last images before they disappeared and thoughts of today appeared. That's when I realized that today was the day of the King's appearance in the village. The church was the first place he was stopping into and I was late! The sounds of his arrival played loudly in the streets and my eyes widened. I was indeed…late and I was going to be in trouble with Father Stefan. I hurried and showered, the water helping me come to my senses. I brushed my teeth and dressed, praying that no one would notice my tardiness. Nearly falling down the stairs, I bumped right into the last person I wanted to find out about my tardiness, Father Stefan. He wore a very angry look and snatched my arm up into his grasp. I winced but did not fight and I allowed him to drag me to the rows of nuns and priests waiting to be greeted by the king. He pushed me to the end of the line in the last row with my face flushed next to Jacob. Jacob Black, a boy that grew up in the orphanage. If this was another time, Jacob and I would have married, but in this time, I was a nun and he was a priest. We settled on a brother and sister bond and we were happy about that. With his head still bowed, his brown eyes glanced over to me and a soft smile graced his lips.

"A morning is never quite right if Father Stefan isn't displeased with you," he whispered out the corner of his mouth. I began grinning, feeling the warmth that Jacob always exuded. Growing up, his warmth was so much more different than what the nuns had. He had this way of drawing people near him, he brought life when there was nothing, and he was the sun…the bright yellow sun.

I allowed my eyes to scan the crowds of people that surrounded our uniformed lines of the men and women of the cloth. There were many different types of people that made up the village but they all had the same expression on their faces…fear. There was only one reason why the King would want to visit the village. He was looking for fresh meat…

Many of the people of the village stopped having children because they knew of their fate. Beautiful young girls and women were taken to be in the king's harem and boys were sent to train in the army. Others, like Jacob and I and the orphans were lucky enough to slip the King's eye. But I realized that we weren't safe. Not anymore, he could easily spot Jacob and see how strong he was, how intelligent and fast he was and take him away from me. Take my sun and burn it out until he became one of the heartless…_soulless_…men that made up of the King's army.

"Here he comes, Bella! Bow your head!" I heard Jacob hiss. My eyes widened and I flushed, quickly bowing my head. How long was I in my head? I reached over and squeezed Jacob's hand. He squeezed in return and we quickly let go. I instantly felt the loss and my hand twitched to hold his again. I heard soft boots approaching, and my eyes saw the polished leather boots of the king. I swallowed a lump and I felt my brow bead with sweat. I had never seen the King before but I knew that he was a wicked man. While most would argue with me, since he brought Forks out of financial turmoil, civil war, and famine, it does not change what he was asking of us in return. Taking young innocent females and exposing them to such filth and taking our males and turning them into killing machines, no…there was nothing righteous about this man. Tanya…all she wanted was a peaceful existence and to serve our Lord freely, he took that from her. I would not bow to this man; he did not earn that right from me. He was reaching Jacob and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, I had to time this right. After all, there was only one man that I was going to bow to, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He came closer and I began squaring my shoulders and when he was close enough, my head shot up and I was met face to face with the greenest eyes I had ever seen. I felt coldness pass through me and I could feel all color draining from my face. The devil came in all shapes and sizes but this man…this man had to be what Lucifer looked like before he fell from the heavens. Beautiful…there was no other word to describe him. His long black hair was braided away from his face and cascaded down to the middle of his back, his skin saw little sun but it was smooth and reminded me of fresh milk. He had a strong and yet elegant jaw and cheeks and right under the aristocratic nose of his, was a pair of plump wine colored lips. He was a tall man, slender but looked as if he could hold his own in a fight and he was dressed in silks and jewels. He stopped and looked me up and down, a small smirk marring those lips. I felt hot and lightheaded but I held my ground.

"Disobedience is looked down upon in your God's eyes, Sister-?" His voice was soft and deep. There were many ways I could have replied but I couldn't find the words so I kept my mouth shut, even though my bottom lip quivered and my hands became sweaty. He didn't deserve to know my name and so…he shall not know my name. I heard whispers and gasps coming from the others. I could feel Jacob's gaze boring into me.

"The only disobedience here, is bowing to you, a mere human man." The words left my mouth quickly and it seemed as if the world went silent. The King's smirk got wider and I was instantly struck with panic. The smirk disappeared and he continued his way over to Father Stefan, whose face was stuck between anger and trepidation. The spell was broken and I was left with eyes staring at me as if I had grown two heads. The realization of what I just did began to weigh down and I looked over at Jacob, whose normally tan skin was without color and his eyes wide.

"What was that?!" He asked angrily. We were walking through the sanctuary, preparing for afternoon mass, for which the King would be joining. The first time a King has ever stepped a foot into the church in over twenty years. It threw everyone for a loop, so now; we were rushing, throwing ourselves in such panic just to please him.

"What was what?" I asked, polishing the wooden altar and taking out the dead lilies and replacing new ones. I knew he was angry with me but he knew of my beliefs, my dislike towards the King.

"Bella, he could have you punished," he hissed.

"He took Tanya, that's punishment enough, he takes young girls and forces them into sin, or what about the young boys…Seth…he took Seth and forced him into an army that kills for pleasure and not for honor. That is our punishment for serving an ungodly king." I felt red and the headache I had tried so hard to ignore came back with a vengeance.

"You talk about ungodliness when you can't even forgive. Our God teaches us to forgive and we as his children must practice his teachings so that we will ensure our place next to him," he pointed out. I hated it when he was right. I gave no response and continued to ready the altar. I heard him sigh and his footsteps coming close behind me. His touch was gentle on her arms and her eyes closed in peace.

"Bella, how wrong would it be to just let go, would we still be allowed next to God's side if we let go of this and become man and wife and live a peaceful existence?" He whispered in my ear. My face flushed and my breath caught. He couldn't be doing this in the sanctuary? Not in front of the crucifix of Jesus Christ? This was a holy place, he knew that. How wrong would it be? It would be much easier to just live a simple life. Start a farm, grow fruits and vegetables, cook and take of the children we would have, but it was a fleeting memory. We both made our decisions and we could never turn back.

"If I could go back in time, we wouldn't be having this conversation in the sanctuary. We would be living this life as man and wife. If I knew Tanya and all the other girls were safe, I would forgive him but I know that what he is doing is wrong and I can't forgive that." I turned and found myself facing his chest. He was so tall, taller than most of the men here. I looked up at him and I began to melt in that brown gaze of his.

"I guess I have to accept that then. You're so stubborn, Bella." He laughed softly and I found his warm hands on my cheeks. They were soft and my eyes began to close.

"Sister Isabella, your presence is being requested by Father Stefan," Mother Siobhan came in hurriedly. Maggie, the youngest member of the order and secretly Mother Siobhan's daughter, followed behind her. Jacob and I pulled apart quickly, my face red. Seeing this, Jacob stepped in front of me so that I could work on getting my emotions shoved back into neutrality. When I was sure the heat and red was gone from my skin, I stepped from behind Jacob, just as Mother Siobhan and Maggie rushing down the massive aisle. I waited for them to come closer and when they did, Mother Siobhan handed me a letter, with Father Stefan's seal. I knew my disobedience earlier today was not going to go unnoticed.

"Well, what did you expect after that little stunt you pulled? You shamed the church and insulted the king. I'm surprised the king is not ordering your head," she said after she saw my apprehension. I looked up at Jacob and he had a reassuring smile on his face.

"Go with God," he said, stroking my cheek.

The walk to Father Stefan's office seemed long, especially since I was doing this walk alone. The maids and the other Sisters, watched me, whispering but I held my head high and paid them no attention. When I arrived at the wooden ornate doors, I knocked.

"Come in," he called. I pushed the doors opened and was met with Father Stefan, sitting rigid in his high back chair, looking stern and pale. Accompanying him was none other than Your Majesty, King Aro. My jaw clenched and remembered Jacob's words.

"Father…" I bowed to him and then I turned to the King. He sat in the sofa, his long legs crossed, and a light smirk on his lips. I took a deep breath and his smirk became wider.

"Your Majesty," I said as I bowed.


End file.
